Do I Quit This Nursing Job or Not? | The Nurse Keith Show, EPS 165

On July 2nd, 2018, I published a blog post titled, “Should I Quit This Darn Nursing Job?” In this episode of The Nurse Keith Show, I expound and expand upon the details of that post. See below for some highlights, and see the original post for the whole enchilada.

Photo by Bernard Hermant on Unsplash.com

How many reasons are there to quit your nursing job? Let me count the ways.

Poor leadership/management

Your nursing license is endangered

Your are physically unsafe

Mistreatment/bullying/harassment/etc

Overwork/staffing issues/burnout/unhealthy environment

Pay and benefits

A better opportunity

Relocation

How to leave as gracefully as possible:

Give ample notice (but there are circumstances where you can’t or won’t!)

Request an exit interview

Connect with colleagues

Offer to train your replacement

Be self-contained

Document

Pat yourself on the back

Summing Up

Once you decide to leave, update your resume and LinkedIn profile with your new data. (If you’ve been following my advice all along, the job you’re leaving has been on your resume and LinkedIn profile since you first started that gig.) If you’re starting a new position right away, add it now.

If you’re leaving without the safety net of another job, you may have some budgeting to do. If you have a spouse or partner, make some plans — if you’re single, you’ll have to be even more diligent in terms of managing a period of unemployment on your own.

Once you start a new gig, begin forming relationships with fellow colleagues, connect on LinkedIn, and otherwise set the table for success.

When interviewing for your next position, you’ll most likely need to explain why you’re planning to leave your current job or why you already left. Have your authentic story ready — every circumstance is different, so there are no cookie cutter answers here.

If you need help in such an important transition, make use of a career coach, mentor, trusted colleague, or counselor. It can be a lonely and stressful time, so ask for support from whomever would be most effective at being present for you when you need it the most.

Leaving a job is a potentially stressful time, especially if you don’t have anything else lined up quite yet. Be thoughtful, circumspect, kind, strategic, organized, and gentle with yourself, and things will fall in place as you do your due diligence and move forward into an even more promising future.

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In case you didn’t already know, Nurse Keith is a holistic career coach for nurses, award-winning nurse blogger, writer, podcaster, keynote and motivational speaker, and popular career columnist. With two decades of nursing experience, Keith deeply understands the issues faced by 21st-century nurses.

From 2012 until its sunset in 2017, Keith co-hosted RNFMRadio, a groundbreaking nursing podcast.

As of May of 2018, Keith is the host of Mastering Nursing, an interview-style podcast showcasing inspiring, forward-thinking nurse thought leaders and innovators.

Keith’s message of savvy career management and professional satisfaction reaches tens of thousands of nurses worldwide. Keith can be found on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram—as well as at NurseKeith.com.